Greetings, I hope you have been able to enjoy the nice weather we’ve been having. It’s hard to believe that a week ago it was snowing.
The Sunday text starts in the middle of things. Jesus has been talking to Nicodemus about how to enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus had come to him at night so as to not be seen by others because he was a Pharisee. Jesus tells him he has to be born again-of water and spirit. Nicodemus is confused at the answer from Jesus because he is thinking about being born from the linage of Abraham-from the womb but Jesus is talking about divine rebirth, in baptism, as an adoption into Gods’ family. It didn’t depend on who your parent’s were-genetics didn’t matter. If you had divine rebirth; the sign being a water baptism, you were then a part of God’s kingdom.
V14 This is Jesus’ first passion prediction in John. He is referring to an incident from Numbers 21 where Moses made a bronze snake and set it on a pole within the camp in the wilderness so all who looked at it would be healed from snake bites. God had sent poisonous snakes among the people to bite them for their complaints against Him about lack of water and food. When bit the Israelites would die. They had cried out to Moses for help and the Lord told Moses to make this pole to protect them so everyone who was bitten could look at this and live. Jesus is using this image to refer to himself when he will be crucified. All who are “bitten” by sin can look to him on the cross and live. He will be lifted up like the bronze snake was for healing.
V15 Who ever believes in and does the work Jesus is performing will have eternal life.
Because we have been baptized we have eternal life here and now. We are members of Gods’ family by adoption (baptism) therefore have inherited eternal life. We just have to start living like it. Mostly we don’t. We think if we “get” to heaven then we will be members of Gods’ family but this is backwards. We are members now therefore we need to live like it.
V16-17 God loved the world so much that He sent His son to restore a broken relationship. Jesus didn’t come to judge the world but to save it through restoration; to set our relationship with God right.
V18 Those who don’t believe in and follow him do face condemnation. Free grace calls us to costly discipleship.
V19-20 This is a ongoing timeless judgment that light (Jesus) has come into the world but people chose darkness (the darkness of sin). They live for self rather than in service to God and others. This judgment will be finalized when Jesus appears again at the end of the age.
V21 Those who walk as Jesus walked have no need to boast as their deeds have been done “in God”
Peace be upon you. Kim
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